A Museum for Young Gentlemen and Ladies Part 5

1. First persecution was begun by Nero, soon after he had burnt the city of Rome, which was in the year 65.

2. The second, by Flavius Domitian, in the year 83.

3. The third, by Ulpius Trajan, in the year 111.

4. In the year 162, the fourth was raised by Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and his a.s.sociate Lucius Verus.

5. The fifth was begun by Septimus Severus, in the year 193.

6. In 235, the sixth was raised by Maximinus.

7. Traja.n.u.s began the seventh in the year 253.

8. In 255, the eighth was raised by Valeria.n.u.s.

9. Valeria.n.u.s Aurelia.n.u.s began the ninth in the year 272. And 10. Dioclesian [sic] and Maximia.n.u.s carried on the tenth with the utmost severity.

After the Romans, however, had been in the possession of Britain for near 500 years, they left it to its ancient inhabitants again, who being at that time sunk into the lowest state of degeneracy, were soon after invaded by the Scots and the Picts; and trembling at the approaching storm, they were prevailed on by Vortigern, their chief monarch, about the year 447, to send a deputation to the Saxons, who were the only persons (as he insinuated) capable of giving them that aid and a.s.sistance which the unhappy situation of their affairs immediately required. This plausible pretence of that Prince succeeded, and one and all concurred in his opinion; and by the resolution which they then took thereupon, they brought on the total destruction of their country.

Amba.s.sadors from the Britons were accordingly sent to Witigisel, the then Saxon general, who immediately summoned an a.s.sembly to hear what the Britons had to propose. The latter (like men in absolute despair) offered to submit to any terms that their said a.s.sembly should think proper, provided they did but protect and stand by them so far in their pressing necessities, as to enable them to drive their enemies out of their country. The proposal was approved of, and the negociation [sic] accordingly concluded.

The terms were, that the Saxons should send 9000 men into Britain, who were to be put into possession of the Isle of Thanet, and to be paid and maintained likewise at the expence [sic] of the Britons.

Hengist and Horsa, both sons of the Saxon General Witigisel, who were brave and resolute men, fit for, and fond of such an expedition, were appointed, in the year 450, to command the Saxon troops intended for the relief of Britain.

Tho' these two heroes arrived at Ebbesfleet, in the island of Thanet, with 1500 men only, instead of 9000, yet they were received with the utmost respect by Vortigern, who put them immediately, according to promise, in full possession of that island.

As the Picts and Scots, at that time, were advancing their forces against the Britons, Hengist joined Vortigern, and inspiring the British troops with new courage, a battle was fought near Stamford, in Lincolnshire, wherein the Picts and Scots were so absolutely defeated, that they were obliged to abandon their conquests, and retire into their own country.

Hengist had a beautiful daughter, named Rowena, with whom Vortigern fell deeply in love, and demanded her in marriage of her father, who, ever attentive to enlarge his dominions, refused his consent, unless the amorous Briton would put him in possession of the whole county of Kent. The terms were readily accepted, and the match concluded. In short, this love-sick pa.s.sion, this seemingly trivial circ.u.mstance, occasioned the greatest revolution that had ever been felt in Britain.

_The_ SAXON HEPTARCHY.

We shall now take a transient view of the Saxon Heptarchy, consequent thereupon.

I. _The Kingdom of Kent_.

The first was the kingdom of Kent, founded by Hengist, in 453, and contained only that county; being inhabited by the Jutes. It continued 368 years, and ended in 823, having been governed by ten of its own Kings, and seven doubtful or foreign Princes; of whom four were Pagans and three Christians. Its princ.i.p.al places were Canterbury, Dover, Rochester, Sandwich, Deal, Folkstone, and Reculver.

II. _The Kingdom of the South Saxons_.

The second was the kingdom of the South Saxons, founded by Ella in 491, and contained the counties of Suss.e.x and Surrey, whose princ.i.p.al city was Chichester. It continued about 109 years, and ended about the year 600; having only five monarchs, of whom two were Pagans, and three Christians: it was mostly under the power of the Kings of Kent, and the West Saxons.

III. _The Kingdom of the West Saxons_.

The third was the kingdom of the West Saxons, founded by Cerdic in 419; and contained Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorsetshire, Wiltshire, Somersetshire, and Hampshire, with the Isle of Wight and Berkshire, though the remains of the Britons likewise inhabited Cornwall: the princ.i.p.al places were Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Dorchester, Sherborne, and Exeter: it continued till the Norman Conquest, being 547 years, and ended in 1066, having been governed by 17 monarchs, during the heptarchy, of whom five were Pagans, and 12 Christians: the last of whom was Egbert, who, in 829, became sole monarch of England.

IV. _The Kingdom of the East Saxons_.

The fourth was the kingdom of the East Saxons, and contained Middles.e.x, Ess.e.x, and part of Hertforshire; where the princ.i.p.al places were London and Colchester: it was founded in 527, by Erkenwin, and continued 220 years, ending in 747; having been governed by 12 monarchs, of whom two were Pagans, and the rest Christians.

V. _The Kingdom of Northumberland_.

The fifth was the kingdom of Northumberland, founded by Ina, in 547, and contained Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham, c.u.mberland, Westmoreland, Northumberland, and part of Scotland, as far as Edinburgh Frith: the princ.i.p.al places being York, Durham, Carlisle, Hexham, and Lancaster: it continued 245 years, and ended in 792; having been governed by 20 Princes, of whom four were Pagans, and the rest Christians, whose subjects were Angles, and called the Northumbrian Angles.

VI. _The Kingdom of the East Angles_.

The sixth was the kingdom of the East Angles, which contained Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, with the Isle of Ely; where the princ.i.p.al places were Norwich, Thetford, Ely, and Cambridge. It was founded by Uffa in 575, and continued 218 years, ending in 792, when it was united to the kingdom of the Mercians.

VII. _The Kingdom of the Mercians_.

The seventh and last was the kingdom of the Mercians, or the Middle Angles, founded by Cridda in 582; and contained Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Rutlandshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, part of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Nottinghamshire, and Cheshire; the princ.i.p.al places being Lincoln, Nottingham, Warwick, Leicester, Coventry, Litchfield, Northampton, Worcester, Gloucester, Derby, Chester, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Oxford, and Bristol: it continued 292 years, and ended in 874; having been governed by 18 monarchs, of whom four were Pagans, and the rest Christians.

_Egbert the Great, first King of England_.

In the year 829, Egbert, the 17th King of the West Saxons, became sole monarch of all the seven kingdoms, and was crowned at Winchester, in Hampshire, by the unanimous consent both of the clergy and laity, King of England; and immediately afterwards a proclamation was published, whereby it was ordered, that no future distinctions should be kept up among the Saxon kingdoms; but that they should all pa.s.s under the common name of England.

Though Egbert was a wise and fortunate Prince, and though the English were a brave and numerous people, after the expulsion of the Picts and Scots; yet no sooner was he well established on the throne, but this island was exposed to new invasions.

In 832, the Danes, having made two descents before, landed a third time with great force at the Isle of Sheppey, in Kent; and in some few months afterwards at Charmouth, in Dorsetshire, with 18,000 men.

In 835, they landed again in Cornwall; but Egbert was then prepared for them, and gave them a total defeat. They renewed their depredations, however, in 836, but were again repulsed. Soon after which, this Prince having reigned King of the West Saxons 36 years, and sole monarch of England upwards of eight, died as great as he lived, and was buried at Winchester, where he was crowned. He was the father, in short, of the English monarchy, and therefore justly ent.i.tled to the name of Egbert the Great.

_Ethelwulf, the Second King of England_.

Ethelwulf, the elder surviving son of Egbert, succeeded his father in 836. Till he became a King, he had been only a priest, or, at most, only bishop of Winchester. He obtained, however, a dispensation from Pope Gregory IV. and a.s.sumed a secular life.

In the first year of his reign, the Danes landed at Southampton, in Hampshire, but were routed with great slaughter. In 837, however, they made a second descent upon Portland, in Dorsetshire, and succeeded in their attempt.

In 838, they made another descent about Romney, in Kent, with such success, and great slaughter, that they over-ran the country.

In short, they made fresh visits for several years afterwards successively, for the sake of plunder only, without the least intention of making a settlement in the kingdom.

Ethelwulf, however, in 852, a.s.sembled a numerous army, with the a.s.sistance of his brother Athelstan, met them at Okely, in Surry [sic]; and there, after a desperate engagement, proved so victorious, that the slaughter of their enemies was almost incredible.

In 855, Ethelwulf went to Rome, in order to pay a visit to the Pope in person; and, on receiving his benediction, he not only gratified the vanity of the papal see by his devotion, but satisfied likewise its most avaricious expectations by his royal bounty.

In 857, after having reigned one and twenty years, he divided his kingdom between his two eldest sons, Ethelbald and Ethelbert, and soon after died, and was buried at Winchester.

III. [sic] _Ethelbald and Ethelbert, joint Kings of England_.

Ethelbald, whose reign was but short, and no ways remarkable, died in 800, and was buried at Sherborne, in Dorsetshire.

_Ethelbert, the fourth King of England_.

Though Ethelbert bore an excellent character, yet he was no favourite of fortune; for from his coronation in 860, to his death in 866, he had one continued conflict with the Danes. He was interred at Sherborne, near his brother.

_Ethelred, the fifth King of England_.

In 866, Ethelred, third son of Ethelwulf, succeeded to the crown: in whose reign the Danes committed great ravages through the kingdom.

Notwithstanding, in 868, a great famine and plague happened in England, yet those merciless and blood-thirsty Pagans the Danes, in 869, through their aversion to Christianity, set fire to the religious houses in the city of York, murdered the monks, ravished the nuns, and made a sacrifice of Edmund, t.i.tular King of the East Angles, by first shooting his body full of arrows, and afterwards cutting off his head. He was soon after interred at St.

Edmundsbury, in the county of Suffolk, from whom it has ever since been distinguished by that name, as the manner of that Prince's death ent.i.tled him to the honour of martyrdom.

Ethelred, after having reigned six years, was buried at Winbourn, in the county of Dorset.

_Alfred the Great, sixth King of England_.

In the year 872, Alfred the Great (the fourth son of Ethelwulf) succeeded his brother Ethelred, whose moral virtues endeared him so far to his subjects, that they honoured him with the appellation of the Father of the English Const.i.tution. He was crowned at Winchester.

In the year 878, the Danes settled themselves in divers parts of England, with whom Alfred fought many battles, with various success; but at length gave them a total overthrow at Eddington, in Somersetshire, and not only obliged their leader Guthrun, the chiefs of their army, and the main body of their people, to be baptized, but afterwards to retire out of the kingdom.